Speech is civilization itself. The word, even the most contradictory word, preserves contact
- it is silence which isolates.
—Thomas Mann, 1924
***
Human beings […] are very much at a mercy of the particular language which has become
the medium of expression for their society.
—Edward Sapir, 1929
Language is the source of misunderstandings.
—Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, 1943
The great thing about human language is that it prevents us from sticking to the matter at
hand.
—Lewis Thomas, 1974
Never express yourself more clearly than you are able to think.
—Niels Bohr, 1922
When in doubt, mumble.
12
—James H. Boren, 1970
The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter –
‘tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.
—Mark Twain, 1888
Broadly speaking, the short words are the best, and the old words, when short, best of all.
—Winston Churchill, 1949
When there is a gap between one’s real and one's declared aims, one turns as it were
instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish spurting out ink.
—George Orwell, 1950
13
Grasp the subject, the words will follow.
—Cato, second century BC
It is feeling and force of imagination that makes us eloquent.
—Quintilian, *95 AD
We believe a scientist because he can substantiate his remarks, not because he is eloquent
and forcible in his enunciation. In fact, we distrust him when he seems to be influencing us
by his manner
—I. A. Richards, 1926
***
12
This is the title of J. Boren’s nice little book—a good companion to Parkinson’s Law and The
Peter Principle in their description of bureaucracy.
13
This is, actually, just a more succinct paraphrase of a much earlier (circa 1691) line by John Ray.
96
On Speech and Silence, Truth and Lies
- it is silence which isolates.
—Thomas Mann, 1924
***
Human beings […] are very much at a mercy of the particular language which has become
the medium of expression for their society.
—Edward Sapir, 1929
Language is the source of misunderstandings.
—Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, 1943
The great thing about human language is that it prevents us from sticking to the matter at
hand.
—Lewis Thomas, 1974
Never express yourself more clearly than you are able to think.
—Niels Bohr, 1922
When in doubt, mumble.
12
—James H. Boren, 1970
The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter –
‘tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.
—Mark Twain, 1888
Broadly speaking, the short words are the best, and the old words, when short, best of all.
—Winston Churchill, 1949
When there is a gap between one’s real and one's declared aims, one turns as it were
instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish spurting out ink.
—George Orwell, 1950
13
Grasp the subject, the words will follow.
—Cato, second century BC
It is feeling and force of imagination that makes us eloquent.
—Quintilian, *95 AD
We believe a scientist because he can substantiate his remarks, not because he is eloquent
and forcible in his enunciation. In fact, we distrust him when he seems to be influencing us
by his manner
—I. A. Richards, 1926
***
12
This is the title of J. Boren’s nice little book—a good companion to Parkinson’s Law and The
Peter Principle in their description of bureaucracy.
13
This is, actually, just a more succinct paraphrase of a much earlier (circa 1691) line by John Ray.
96
On Speech and Silence, Truth and Lies